A casino-rich tribe wrote checks for at least $55,000 to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's political groups, but the donations were never publicly disclosed and the tribe was directed to divert the money to other groups that helped Republicans, tribal documents show.

A group of Yakima, Washington residents sent a letter yesterday asking their Congressman, House Ethics Committee Chair Doc Hastings, to do the right thing and appoint an outside counsel to look into the scandals surrounding Tom DeLay.

(Austin, TX) In the first civil lawsuit alleging misuse of corporate money in the Texas 2002 state elections to go to trial, Travis County District Judge Joseph Hart today ruled that Tom DeLay's Texas political committee, Texans for a Republican Majority (TRMPAC) violated Texas campaign law when it failed to disclose more than a half-million dollars in corporate contributions.

May 2005Dogged by scandal for his unethical behavior, Tom DeLay is “saluted” at the Capital Hilton at a gala sponsored by the American Conservative Union. More than 100 of DeLay’s constituents respond by sending him a letter critical of his decision to celebrate while he neglects the needs of people in his district.

Mike Soraghan writes up Colorado Rep. Bob Beauprez's #2 spot on the DeLay rankings in today's Denver Post. Beauprez spokesman Jordan Stoick calls the rankings the work of "an attack group," and refuses to respond to the fact that Beauprez has taken $20,000 in campaign contributions from ARMPAC, given $1,000 to DeLay's legal defense, and voted with the Majority Leader 96% of the time.

With the ethical cloud hanging over DeLay and the tribute to him scheduled for Thursday in DC (how tone deaf is he?), we felt it was time people around the country started asking their member of Congress, Just how close are you to Tom DeLay?

Anne Kornblut of the New York Times has a piece leading off the "Week In Review" section today, complete with a huge picture of a smiling Tom DeLay with hand outstretched, that answers the question, Why are Republicans standing by their man?